The Knot
by chocofit
Summary: Natasha Romanova and Loki Laufeyson hated and mocked each other since their rivalry at student council president election in SHIELD High School. Their lives changed since their parents arranged their marriage in order to leave them with no worries while working abroad. How will it go? Will they divorce? Or fall in love with each other instead?
1. Chapter 1

**[Author's Note]**

I'm a huge fan of BlackFrost, the OTP consisting of Loki and Natasha Romanoff the Black Widow. I made this AU fic for I wanted to see how they live as teenagers, as well as I want to see them paired :))

**Thor © MARVEL**

**Avengers © MARVEL**

**I Need You © M83**

* * *

BANG~!

"What. Did. You. Just. Dare. To. Say?"

A quite small high school girl with red curly long hair spoke intensely while pressing a high school boy with black straight tidy hair to the lockers. The boy tried to catch his breath while his eyeglasses rolled down his nose.

"Wha-what's wrong?" he asked innocently, "I just-I just told the truth that you are fu-fussy like a pu-pussy in heat…,"

BAM! The girl threw her mathematic textbook to the boy's face and left him behind for the bell has ring. Break time was over. The boy took his falling eyeglasses from the floor and put it back on his face. His palm rubbed his painful right cheek before he bent down to take the falling mathematic textbook.

"Again, Loki?" asked another high school girl with a small ponytail while passing before him.

"Hand this to her, please," replied the boy, giving the textbook to that girl, "You should have told her not to be so abusive, Maria, it's so unladylike."

That girl laughed while that boy was still rubbing his cheek. They were off together to the classroom.

* * *

The high school was SHIELD High School, a so-called elite school for utterly brilliant and talented students, built on the center of Upper West Side, New York City. Inside one of 10th grade classrooms, Natasha Romanova was knocking her knuckles to her desk, bored with the algebra subject taught by Math teacher, Mr. Phil Coulson. She was thinking of whether she will need to take the same boring subject if she succeeds entering a law school that she was always dreaming about. She sighed.

"Sssh, Tasha."

Natasha turned her head right, to the whisper. A friend handed her mathematic textbook.

"Thanks, Maria," replied her, grabbed the book. The girl beside her was Maria Hill, a fluent speaker of Japanese, French, and surely English, her best friend since they entered high school.

In another side of the classroom, Loki Laufeyson yawned. Like Natasha, he was also bored with the subject but not because he hated it. He already mastered it before Mr. Coulson presented it, that was why. He fixed his eyeglasses and sometimes rubbing his cheek that still felt painful. The textbook thrown to him turned to be quite thick. He looked to his front left, caught a red curly hair, smirked mischievously before he wrote something on a small paper that he wrecked from his textbook.

"Ouch!" said Natasha. Something light hit her head from her right back. She glared to Maria, but Maria shook. She looked down to the floor and found a small ball wrapped by a piece of paper, which must be something that hit her head, and took it. She opened the wrapping paper and found a small eraser, also some handwriting on the paper.

'What's the meaning of stonehenge, fuzzy pussy?'

Natasha glared to Loki who sat behind her and raised her middle finger. Loki wrote something on his textbook before he showed her.

'You barbarian corn hair'

BAM! Natasha once again, threw her textbook right to Loki's face, gave him another pain on his left cheek. All the students and Mr. Coulson were startled, turned their head on those fighting students.

"You two, get out of my class," declared Mr. Coulson. Natasha raised her eyebrow towards him.

"But, Mr. Coulson, it was Loki…,"

"Get out, Romanova, Laufeyson."

* * *

"I can't believe you still fail handling him, Tasha, tell me how many times have Mr. Coulson kick you out of his class?" asked Maria, giggled. They were at the school cafeteria, sat on the corner table to have lunch.

"He was mocking me!" Natasha nearly screamed, "How do you tell me not to hit his face after all his pussy-words towards me?"

Maria laughed. She had no more wonders on how her best friend and Loki have always mocked on each other since they knew each other on 9th grade. That time, both Natasha and Loki were candidates for Student Council President with different vision and mission. Natasha's mission was to strengthen the school rules to bring more disciplined students in the future, while Loki's mission was to cheer the school out of the strict rules to bring more relaxed students in the future. None of them won the election, but their rivalry and hostility never stopped.

"Anyway, your parents have set the date?" asked Maria. Natasha nodded.

"Already," she said, "They will leave by early June."

"Hope they enjoy England summer," said Maria, and Natasha shrugged, "Does it mean that you can spend summer holiday with me? You can stay overnight anytime!"

"That could be a good idea," said Natasha, "Unless my parents have another."

"They will take you to England?" asked Maria, a little bit down. She had been quite excited to spend her summer with her best friend.

"Not something like that," Natasha munched her fries, "But I'll try my best to spend the holiday with you, okay?" she said. Maria smiled again.

* * *

The bell on Romanova house at Upper East Side rang. Natasha, just finished her early dinner, followed her mother with her eyes from the dining room. Tatiana Romanova opened the front door, welcoming two guests that make Natasha's blue eyes got wider. She ever saw those husband and wife in a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meeting and she could not forget them since then. That fatherly man was Odin Laufeyson, an ambassador for some country Natasha did not recognize, and beside him was his wife, Freya Laufeyson, a very friendly woman who never stopped smiling to all the teachers at school and also to other students' parents. A couple that Natasha refused to believe as her biggest enemy's parents.

"What are you doing here, Tasha? Why you no greet Mr and Mrs. Laufeyson?"

Natasha looked up left, to where his father's voice came. Ivan Romanova stood beside her, fixing his red hair.

"I-I can't, Dad," said Natasha nervously, "I don't dress!"

Natasha looked to the guest room and was amazed by Freya's beauty. Her gold long hair fell perfectly with a small braid behind. Compared to her appearance with only old tee and shorts, she was afraid that the beautiful Freya shall judge her even though she knew how friendly Freya was.

"You're right," said Ivan, after looking at her daughter from head to toe, "Go upstairs then, we're going to have a private talk," he smirked. Natasha rolled her eyes, failed to understand what her father's smirk mean, then climbed the stairs to her bedroom. She knew that both her father and Loki's father are U.S ambassadors, yet she never discovered of how close their relationships were. All her life, that night was the first time she ever saw the Laufeyson couple visit her parents.

* * *

"Tasha, wake up, wake up."

Natasha opened her eyes slowly and found her parents sit on her bed. She just realized that she fell asleep while reading Abraham Lincoln biography, but at the same time was confused of why her parents looked so excited and cheerful before her.

"What?" she asked. Tatiana smiled widely and looked to Ivan, who nodded excitedly.

"Tasha, listen. We can finally leave NYC with relief!"

"…," Natasha rubbed her eyes, "…of course, you already told me, right?"

"Not this one, Tasha," said Tatiana, "We are going to leave you with relief because we are going to hand you to a husband."

Tatiana and Ivan smiled widely, still sitting on Natasha's bed. Natasha remained silent. She blinked once. Blinked twice. She scraped her ears, just in case something stood on her listening ability, but she only found her ears clean. She started to think.

Husband. Getting married.

"Wait," she asked slowly, "What?"

"You are getting married!" Tatiana and Ivan replied cheerfully. Natasha left her bed, opened her both eyes widely, and stood tall.

"You gotta be kidding me!"

"No, we're not," said Ivan, "Don't you know how worry we are to leave you alone in this big city? All this time whenever I work abroad, your mother stays with you. But this time, I need her. And you can't come with us, we don't want to interfere your dream to enter a law school here."

"But not with matchmaking me with someone I don't even freakin' know, Dad!" Natasha screamed. She could not believe that it was her parents' plan about her, that she once told Maria at school. She first thought that it would be leaving her to a relative, or to Maria's parents whom her parents already know well.

"Tasha, why are you thinking that we will match you to someone you don't know?" asked Tatiana, surprised. Natasha winced.

"What?"

"Of course you know him. You are even in the same class, right? You and Loki Laufeyson?" asked Tatiana innocently.

* * *

Natasha opened her eyes slowly. Sunshine came through her closed window. Looked like the morning has come and she fell asleep again. No, she was fainted. Her mother fell asleep beside her, while her father did not seem to be in her bedroom. She recalled what happened last night. She remembered she fell asleep while reading a book, then her parents woke her up to tell her a good news that they will leave U.S with relief because she will be married with Loki Laufeyson, her classmate.

Natasha got up right away and caught her breath.

"No way," she said, "Mom! Mom, get up!" she shook her mother's body.

"…uh, Tasha? You awake?" asked Tatiana before slowly opened her eyes and got up.

"Mom, I can't marry that idiot Loki Laufeyson, and I will not deal with any excuses!" Natasha declared, surprising Tatiana.

"Wh-why?" she replied, "Loki is not an idiot, he is…brilliant. All SHIELD students are brilliant and talented, including you, Tasha baby."

"Mom, come on! Did you never hear how I and Loki have always been enemies since we entered the election?" asks Natasha loudly. She refuses to believe that her mother acts as if she never knows how her own daughter and Loki are rivals and enemies, "I think I have told you many uncountable times that he always makes teachers kick us out of classes!"

"Of course I know," said Tatiana, "But it doesn't mean he is not qualified to be a husband. He is smart, kind, responsible, and his decision to enter election means he has a strong leadership quality."

"He didn't win."

"So did you," replied Tatiana, silenced Natasha, "Odin and Freya will have to work in Japan, Tasha. They are also afraid to leave their only son alone, and they think that it's best to leave him to a wife who will take care of him…,"

"But not me, Mom! Please!" Natasha yelled. She inhaled an exhaled heavily, hoping her parents, and Loki's parents, will change their mind. Tatiana shook.

"It has to be you," she said, "There's nobody else. We don't have much time and we can't find any other candidates…,"

"We don't have any choices, Mom?" asked Natasha, astonished, "Can't you just hand me to Maria's parents? And I think Loki can be transferred to…Clint's house?"

Clint Barton was Loki's best friend who was also Maria's distant cousin. Natasha knew him quite well because they had always been classmates, but she rarely reached him for he was always being around Loki.

"We can't bother Mr and Mrs. Hill. You can sometimes stay overnight at Maria's place, but it can't be every day. Especially after you marry Loki, you have to spend more time at home," Tatiana explained. Natasha shook many times, almost crying.

"I don't want to!"

"Natasha, please," Tatiana reached her daughter's hands and begged, "Two years. Only two years, and when we're home, you can do whatever you like. But for now, please marry Loki. Please don't make us any more worry while we work in England, far from you."

Finding her mother begged very sincerely, Natasha started to melt. She remembered that all her life she has always been given freedom by her parents. She can do whatever she wants, study in any school she likes, learn everything she is curious about, and dream of anything she wants to have. She always got Tatiana's and Ivan's backs, never on her single step her parents disapproved her.

And this time, only this time, she was requested one thing by her dear parents, which was all for her sake, because her parents felt highly uneasy to leave her alone.

_But why should it be Loki?_

"You promise?" she asked, "Only two years, and then I'll be free?"

"As free as birds, Baby," sweared Tatiana.

"Are you sure Mr and Mrs. Laufeyson okay with this issue?"

"Freya likes you a lot, don't you know?" replied Tatiana, "She glanced at you when she attended PTA meeting, and she thinks you're a beautiful smart girl that fits for her son."

"Eew," Natasha shuddered, "But it's surprising that Mrs. Freya likes me. I mean she is a perfect woman, I could not even find confidence to greet her last night."

* * *

The next day, at school, Loki blocked Natasha's way at the classroom door. Natasha sighed deeply.

"Get off," she said. Loki looked around before he bent down to speak before Natasha's left ear.

"You disapprove the wedding plan, no?" he whispered.

"I approved," replied Natasha. Loki stepped back, his face turned paler as if he played a leading role in the scariest horror movie ever.

"Wha-what the heck? What the heck is in your bloody mind, Romanova?!" he nearly screamed, makes the whole class look to the door.

"To obey my parents' order," replied Natasha calmly.

"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD, NOOO~!" Loki screamed and fell on his knees, holding his head that seemed to explode. Everyone in the class ran after him. Natasha sighed before she bent down before him.

"You. Are. Very. Fuzzy. Fuzzy Pussy," she said intensely, then off to her desk.

* * *

Summer had arrived. Natasha held Ivan's left arm after leaving the bride dressing room. It was a bright Saturday morning, and they were at The Riverside Church, Manhattan, in order for Natasha and Loki to tie the knot. Ivan smiled widely to her daughter after watching her from head to toe.

"You are amazing, Baby," he praised, "I feel like not handing you to Odin's son."

"Then, don't," replied Natasha, still hoping for the last chance that her father would change his mind. Ivan shook.

"Someone should take care of you here," he said. Natasha sighed.

"Come on, smile," said Ivan, "Frown doesn't suit your pretty dress."

Natasha forced her smile. She was wearing a Marie wedding dress by Vera Wang, a new spring collection, which was Freya's choice. She refused at first, due to the high price and fact that she was still a high school student, not to mention that she would divorce Loki after two years. But Freya insisted and she told Natasha not to worry about the price. Tatiana even supported her, left Natasha with no choices unless to agree.

Ivan smiled at Natasha, convincing her that everything will be alright. Natasha started to smile. Deep inside her heart, she was very happy to wear such an amazing dress. Her red curly hair was styled into one messy bun, decorated with a big black rose, which matched the black top of her dress, on its right side. An Aria necklace by Tiffany & Co hang beautifully on her neck, matched the white skirt of her dress. She never felt more perfect in her lifetime. Although it seemed too early for her to have such a perfect appearance since she was still 17 years old, she admitted that the feelings worth it.

They walked down the aisle. Tatiana stood off her bench, so did Odin and Freya. Maria, the bridesmaid, and Clint, the best man, who seemed to be the only friends who know about this wedding, stood near the chapel with dropped jaws. Finding his friends acted differently, Loki, who stood facing the chapel, began curious so that he turned around. He and everyone were mesmerized of what they see. Morning sunshine came through the glass window of the church, shining on the walking bride. Natasha seemed to be more beautiful than they ever expected.

Loki took off his eyeglasses and rubbed his eyes. Never in his high school years, he found how his rival and enemy that he always claimed as barbarian and unladylike, turned into a fairy tale princess like now.

Natasha looked straight at Loki while walking to his side. She silently gasped. Waldorf Wool-Jacquard tuxedo by Brioni fit perfectly on Loki's tall slim posture. Instead of bow tie, he wore a dark emerald necktie that perfectly suits his dark emerald eyes. His black hair was styled very tidily with some gel, matched his typical nerdy look.

"Not bad," whispered Loki mischievously.

"I heard it as 'more beautiful than any Disney princesses ever'," whispered Natasha. Loki winced. The priest stood before them, stopped them from quarrelling. He gave some speech before entering the vows.

"Do you, Loki Bartholomew Laufeyson, take Natasha Alianovna Romanova, as your wife, to respect her in her successes and in her failures, to care for her in sickness and in health, to nurture her, and to grow with her throughout the seasons of life?"

"I do," replied Loki quickly, doubtlessly, surprising Natasha a bit.

"Do you, Natasha Alianovna Romanova, take Loki Bartholomew Laufeyson, as your husband, to respect him in his successes and in his failures, to care for him in sickness and in health, to nurture him, and to grow with him throughout the seasons of life?"

Natasha remained silent. The vow questioned to her by the priest moved her heart. She did not have not enough heart to tell a lie using all those sincere words. Furthermore she knew that she and Loki would end the marriage after two years, and that they would never reach any seasons of life.

"Natasha?" asked the priest. Natasha was startled.

"A…uh, yeah," she replied, "I do. I…do."

Afterwards, Loki put an Etoile ring by Tiffany & Co on Natasha's finger. And so did Natasha to Loki.

"Now I hereby pronounce you two as husband and wife," said the priest, then he looked at Loki, "You may kiss the bride."

Both Natasha and Loki wew shocked. They shook.

"Uh…that…Sir, I think it's…really private, so…," said Loki at loss. The priest raised his eyebrow.

"This is your wedding, you are officially her husband, what's the matter?" he asked suspiciously. Natasha looked at both her parents and Loki's parents and they seemed to wait for the kiss happily. She looked behind, and saw Maria also seemed to wait curiously. She looked across, Clint reacted the same.

"Sir, I think we…,"

Before Loki finished his sentence, Natasha grabbed his collar until he bent close to her face, then she quickly pressed her lips to his.

"Wha…,"

"I can't stand in this chapel forever. Can you?" asked Natasha mischievously, before Loki ever finished his question. The parents, Maria, and Clint clapped their hands together, ignoring Loki's pale face after that shocking kiss.

"Congratulations, Buddy!" said Clint with a big smirk that teased Loki.

"I won't let her over control," whispered Loki.

"Whatever, you two fit perfectly. May you two have a happy marriage ever after!" Clint yelled, and all the parents cheered. Loki glared at his best friend, saying "I-will-kill-you" with his eyes that makes Clint giggle.

They all walked through the church door, and a few classmates were already there, clapping their hands cheerfully. There were also some teachers, including Mr. Coulson, and SHIELD headmaster Nick Fury, a black grumpy man wearing an eye patch on his left eye. He is a former U.S army, who has lead SHIELD High School with high discipline since some years before Natasha and Loki entered.

"Congratulations, Natasha and Loki!" all the classmates yelled cheerfully. Meantime, both Natasha and Loki were still shocked of what they see.

"Uh…Mom, when did we agree to invite friends and teachers?" asked Natasha.

"Dad, I thought Clint and Maria are the only friends who know?" asked Loki. All the parents smiled at them.

"This is a happy day!" replied Tatiana, "We first want to invite everyone in SHIELD, but looks like it will be too much, so we only have some close friends and some teachers."

"Its' not bad to have your headmaster here, right?" said Odin, "We are much honored that you attend, Mr. Fury."

"No, Mr. Laufeyson, it's me who feels so honored. Please leave your kids to me and all SHIELD teachers, we will make sure we guide them until they attend their dream schools after graduation," replied Mr. Fury before he glared to Natasha and Loki, his two most mischievous students who were sent to his office by teachers nearly every day because of their noisy quarrels. Natasha and Loki, again, were shocked listening to all those spoken words. The unwanted wedding was finally known by everyone in SHIELD. Not yet everyone but surely everyone would, soon, yet their headmaster kept his eyes closer on them.

Their lives would never be the same again.


	2. Chapter 2

**[Author's Note]**

This chapter is still viewed from Natasha's side. Please kindly watch her being surprised by many new things in her new life with Loki :))

**Thor © MARVEL**

**Avengers © MARVEL**

**I Need You © M83**

* * *

Both the Romanova and Laufeyson arrived at Upper West Side. They were heading inside an apartment building at 75th street, going upstairs to 3rd floor, and walked to a room at the corner of the floor. Ivan opened the door.

"You like it?" he asked, when everyone was already inside. Natasha and Loki walked around, checking each side of the room. It was their new residence. The parents had prepared the room all furnished and the rent had also been paid for two years. There were two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a small kitchen in.

"Is this mine?" asked Natasha after climbing small stairs heading to a door. All the parents nodded. Natasha opened the door and walked in, her blue eyes quit blinking. The room was all new, smaller than the one she had in her former home in Upper East Side, but was very well decorated with dark grey and maroon, her favorite colors. The bed was put on the center of the room, stacked to the wall, right before the window. There was a small round maroon carpet between the window and her bed. Natasha opened the window and looked outside excitedly, because she could watch the street that she always enjoys viewing.

"How's it, Tasha?" asked Tatiana. Natasha smiled excitedly.

"I like it. And I also like this bookshelf…," she replied, walking to the bookshelf stood on the corner of the room, "Did you all put these new books?" she asked with a big smile before she grabbed a book about basic law from the shelf. Ivan and Tatiana nodded. They felt a little guilty to force the marriage to their daughter, so that they tried to make it up by giving her some gifts that she loved, which were books mostly about law.

"Thanks, Mom, Dad!" said Natasha cheerfully.

"Anytime, Baby," said Tatiana, "How about you open the cabinet? Freya has prepared some gifts for you too."

Natasha was startled. She put back the book to the shelf then walked to the cabinet stood beside her bed on another corner of the room. She opened the big door, found some new dresses from her favorite brands that she did not remember she ever purchased.

"Whoa," she was stunned, "Mom, these dresses…,"

"They are all for you, Natasha," said Freya, suddenly appeared beside Tatiana. Ivan was no longer at the bedroom door, but his talk with Odin outside was still heard.

"Uh…thank you," said Natasha nervously, amazed by Freya's beautiful friendly smile, "But…why? I mean, Mrs. Freya, I don't think that you have to…,"

Freya laughed, "Natasha, come on," she said, "What's wrong in giving gifts to my own daughter?"

"Eh?" asked Natasha, stunned.

"You're Loki's wife," replied Freya, walking towards Natasha before she pat her shoulders, "It means you're our daughter now."

Natasha got more stunned. She felt very flattered that Freya really liked her and thought of her as a daughter, but on the other side she was required to accept the fact that she was already married to her very own enemy at school. To the boy that she had been despised since the election, who always mischievously mocked on her.

"And you should not call me 'Mrs. Freya', Natasha," added Freya, "You should be calling me 'Mom', no?"

"What? But…,"

"If it's confusing, does 'Mommy Freya' sound okay?" asked Tatiana to Freya, who nodded right away. Natasha was stunned again. Things changed very quickly and she could not seem to get used to it soon. While her parents and Loki's parents acted very normally as if nothing terrible happened. As if she and Loki got married by love, not by force.

* * *

After lunch, the two families were at the waiting room in JFK International Airport. The parents were ready to leave, while the newlywed walked them. Both planes would depart within less than half an hour, so that both parents spent the remaining time to talk to their kids.

"Take care, Kids," said Odin. Natasha and Loki nodded.

"We expect you two to graduate with high score," said Ivan, "And to pass the entrance exams at your dream schools."

"We will, Dad," said Loki casually, made Natasha a bit surprised. Looks like her parents already requested Loki to call them 'Mom and Dad' too. Afterwards, they ran into some conversations.

"Hey, Tasha," said Tatiana, without everyone notice, "I trust you."

"Trust me?" asked Natasha, "Of course, you have to."

"Not that simple," replied Tatiana, "I trust you two to succeed everything. Your schools, your marriage, your whole lives. I have a feeling that you shall not divorce by the next two years."

Natasha was shocked. She remembered how she always told her mother that she and Loki never stop quarrelling at school, even after they got married, but her mother seemed to jump into a wrong conclusion.

"How do you…?" she asked, "Ah, I know, Mom, you're worried about us. Relax, we will try not to divorce within the upcoming two years."

"No, I'm not worried anymore since the wedding day," replied Tatiana with a huge smile, "I trust you two. I have a mother's feeling that could never be wrong. Oh, gotta off now, Baby," she kissed Natasha's cheek before she joined the other parents and headed to the boarding room together. Natasha and Loki waved, waited until they can't see their parents, looked at each other, sighed, and left.

* * *

Natasha threw her body to the big couch at the middle of the apartment room. Loki closed the door then took off his white tee while turning on the TV. Natasha was shocked.

"Hey, hey!" she yelled, "Get a room, you dumb ass!" she felt really disturbed to see her own enemy, who turned to be her husband now, got naked before her eyes.

"I'm your husband, fuzzy pussy," replied Loki calmly, walking towards Natasha who moved back on the couch cautiously right away, "It's very normal that we appear naked before each other," he bent down until his face was only 3 cm before Natasha's, made Natasha feel somehow nervous to smell the fresh sweat scent closely so that she punched his tummy without warnings. Loki fell to the carpet.

"You brutal brat!" mocked Loki while rubbing his tummy. Natasha inhaled and exhaled, tried to control her heartbeat.

"D-Do you need any restraining orders? Why don't we go to the court now?" replied Natasha nervously but still mischievously. Loki stood off the floor.

"I'm leaving," he said angrily, "I'll stay overnight at Clint's."

"That sounds great!" replies Natasha cheerfully, "You even better stay overtwoyears."

Loki entered his bedroom near the small stairs and closed the door. Natasha giggled satisfied. She took the TV remote control and scrolled channel by channel. When Loki appeared with a backpack, she waved with a huge smile.

"I won't let you win, corn hair," said Loki intensely.

"I'll wait and see," replied Natasha calmly. Loki left the apartment and slammed the door. Natasha laughed.

* * *

The night came and Natasha started to feel bored. She already called Maria by phone and asked her to stay overnight, but Maria had been asked to join her parents in a family dinner somewhere at Central Park. She had also finished her dinner, which was a pizza she ordered from Freddie & Pepper's in Upper West Side.

"Sigh…,"

Natasha sat on the couch, tried to watch the TV but nothing was quite interesting. Summer holiday would start soon, but she even felt already bored on her first summer days.

She looked to her left, gazed at Loki's bedroom door. When they first arrived at the apartment, she did not think to check what her husband's bedroom looks like. Now that she was alone, she started feeling curious. She inhaled and exhaled.

_Loki is staying overnight at Clint's, right?_

Natasha opened Loki's bedroom door before she stepped inside. She turned on the light and blinked twice. Loki's bedroom still looked tidy, since it was their first day at the apartment. Just like hers, his bedroom was also very well decorated with green and black, which must be Loki's favorite colors. She smelled fresh scent from new green carpet before the window, then stepped to the bookshelf.

"Whoa," she whispered. She found some golden trophies on Loki's bookshelf, mostly awards for academic achievement. Before she became Loki's classmate, she never knew that Loki ever won some awards as representative of SHIELD in academic major, like some Math competitions and other science fields. All this time Natasha had only seen Loki as a mischievous idiot that she despised, she never really knew how brilliant Loki was.

Natasha moved to Loki's bed, found a white tee that Loki took off before she punched his tummy. She recognized that he was quite angry so that he just threw away his tee to his bed. Natasha smiled and sighed before she sat on the bed and folded the tee. She put it back on the blanket, then yawned.

* * *

Sun was shining right on Natasha's closed eyes, woke her up. She slowly opened her eyes before rubbing them and began aware of some differences. She was no longer in her own bedroom in Upper East Side. She looked around and found some shades of green and black before she got startled. This is not even her own bedroom in the apartment. She turned to fell asleep on Loki's bed last night, but the blanket has already covered her legs. The clock on Loki's desk showed that it was already 9 AM.

Confused, Natasha left the bed and walked out the door, found Loki was sleeping on the couch with turned-on TV. She rolled her eyes. From what happened, all that she could conclude was that Loki canceled staying overnight at Clint's place, or he arrived home very early morning. Whatever it was, the next thing that Natasha wondered was only why Loki did not wake her up to change bedroom, but sleeping on the couch instead and furthermore he covered her up with blanket on his bed.

She walked with no sounds to the kitchen, tried not to wake Loki up, and grilled some breads and omelets for breakfast. When she finished cooking, she arranged the food on dinner table outside the kitchen.

"Good morning, my wife," whispered Loki suddenly on Natasha's right ear, made her shocked then unconsciously punched his left cheek. Loki was staggered and hit the walls.

"A-ah…," said Natasha, still shocked, "I-I'm sorry...but what did you just do, idiot?!" she yelled. Loki rubbed his left cheek.

"Why are you so mean to your own husband?" he replied, "I just greeted."

"You harassed me!"

"Huh?!" Loki winced.

"Just because you're my husband, doesn't mean you can do whatever you like! This marriage is forced and I don't even love…," Natasha shuddered, "…y-you," she felt disgusted to ever mention that 'love' word about Loki.

"It hurts, you barbarian," complained Loki, still rubbing his cheek, "Anyway, what's this nice flavor? Breakfast?" he asked before he checked the dinner table and smiled. He pulled a chair and sat on it. Natasha followed.

"It's good," said Loki while munching his omelet, "You better do this everyday."

"Like I'm your maid," complained Natasha before she ate her own breakfast, "Hey, why are you here? What happened in Clint's place?" she asked. Loki sighed.

"Clint's parents told me to go home," he replied before grabbing more bread and omelet, "They said it's not good that someone's husband stays overnight in someone else's home."

Natasha nodded. She nearly asked why Loki did not wake her up to change bedroom, but something held her. It somehow made her too nervous to ask, because suddenly she pictured in her mind how Loki covered her up with blanket. She began blushing.

"Are you sick?" asked Loki. Natasha was startled.

"No," she replied, "Why?"

"Your face turns red," said Loki. Natasha winced, did not realize that she was blushing. They continued eating calmly. Natasha glanced at Loki sometimes, wondered how they could sit on the same table to have a meal without quarrelling. After they finished, Natasha meant to clean up but suddenly their doorbell rang. She put back the plates and walked to the door, while Loki was still sipping his mineral water. She checked outside from small hole on the door and saw a big black man standing there. She was confused, but still opened the door.

"Yes?" she asked. That man was startled for a minute before he smiled.

"Oh, you must be young Mrs. Laufeyson!" he said. Natasha raised her eyebrow.

"What? No…Mrs. Freya has left abroad yesterday," she replied.

"Ah!" said Loki, surprised, after he followed Natasha to the door, "Aren't you Daddy's employee? Mr. Heimdall?" he asked, astonished. Natasha raised her eyebrow again, looked at the man and Loki back and forth. She had no idea of what was happening.

"Yes, I'm glad that you remember, young master Loki," Heimdall said, "Mrs. Laufeyson, I'm Mr. Laufeyson's personal secretary, pleased to meet you," he passed his hand to Natasha, who was just startled. She just realized that the 'young Mrs. Laufeyson' that Heimdall meant was her, wife of Loki Laufeyson. Natasha had no choice but to shake his hand back.

"Wait, but my name is Natasha Romanova," she corrected, "And you can call me Natasha or Tasha. Or Nat. Whatever you like," she added, a little bit distracted. She was panic, thinking of whether her name has been changed into Natasha Laufeyson before she even realized, but then she remembered that she never passed any procedures of surname change which was required in New York. She exhaled, relieved.

"And why are you here?" asked Loki.

"I'm here to help you two cleaning up," said Heimdall, "And to help you with your study too."

"Huh?" asked Natasha.

"Please come in," said Loki before Heimdall entered and sat on the couch. Natasha closed the door before she and Loki followed sitting.

"Did you two just finish breakfast? Do I need to clean up?" asked Heimdall. Natasha shook right away.

"Oh, no, no," she replied quickly, felt bad that someone else must clean up, "I-I am used to clean things up, you don't have to bother, um…Mr. Heimdall?"

"Okay then," said Heimdall, confused of Natasha's reaction, "How about your study?"

"Mr. Heimdall graduated from law school in Columbia University," Loki explained, "But he's also quite good in science field."

Natasha was amazed. Columbia University was one of some places where she wanted to study law after she graduated from high school, but nobody could recommend her any graduates to guide her, including her own father who was a graduate from law school in Russia, her hometown. She never dreamed that a Columbia graduates shall appear before her to offer her a guide. Heimdall chuckled.

"I took mathematics in undergraduate program, young master…,"

"What's with that 'young master'? Eew," said Loki uncomfortably, "Loki is enough, Sir."

"So, we're friends now?" said Heimdall, "I'll call you two Loki and Natasha, and you call me Heimdall."

"Deal," replied Loki. Natasha exhaled and nodded. Again, she was surprised of a quick change in her life.


	3. Chapter 3

**[Author's Note]**

Please welcome Lorelei Smith, the Math genius who'd be under Natasha's watch :))

**Thor © MARVEL**

**Avengers © MARVEL**

**I Need You © M83**

* * *

Natasha laid her arms and head on a table in cafeteria after she sat down on the chair, bringing her lunch meals. Maria, who already sat there not long after the break time bell rang, looked curiously at her.

"I can't help this anymore, Maria," she complained weakly, "I want to divorce Loki."

"Hey, chill," said Maria, "What has happened?"

"He took all the breakfast meals!" replied Natasha angrily, "It made me cook twice this morning! Thank God there was Heimdall helping me dishwashing because I would be late if he didn't."

Maria laughed. Natasha got up and sat properly, started to drink her orange juice. The cold fresh juice chilled her mind.

"Don't be so hurry making decisions," said Maria, "The end must be near if Loki quit annoying you," she giggled. Natasha sighed.

"I wish I could find a way for him to divorce me," she said hopelessly.

"Your parents would be totally angry if you do that," said Maria, "Anyway, how's it doing with Mr. Heimdall? He guides you about Columbia?" she asked. Natasha nodded.

"Pretty much," she replied, "He's very helpful with my and Loki's studies, sometimes I asked him to help me with Math homeworks," explained Natasha before she sipped her soup. Maria raised her eyebrow.

"Math homework?" she asked mischievously, "Why not asking Loki to help? You know he masters it."

Natasha shuddered, "Like I will!"

* * *

It was 3PM. Natasha arrived before the apartment and found the door unlocked. She came in and exhaled, relieved to know that it was Heimdall inside that she recognized from a medium backpack on the couch.

"Oh, hi, Natasha," said Heimdall from the kitchen, "I thought you'd be home late."

"Hi, Heimdall," Natasha replied and walked to the refrigerator to get mineral water, "I planned to, but Maria had an extended class for French. Like she is not fluent enough speaking French," she giggled before sipping water from her mug.

"Oh, your best friend that you always mentioned," said Heimdall while washing plates, "I ever heard from Phil about a brilliant student who masters three languages."

Natasha raised her eyebrow.

"Phil who?" she asked. Heimdall dried his hands with small towel before he took off his apron and left the kitchen. Natasha followed him to the couch.

"Phil Coulson, your Math teacher," answered Heimdall. Natasha glared.

"Wait, what?" she asked, confused. Heimdall blinked.

"Oh, I haven't told you that we know each other?" he asked back. Natasha shook, still glaring. Another surprise for her: her (and Loki's) own tutor was a friend of her Math teacher who frequently scolded her for making noises with Loki during Math classes.

"Oh, Dear," said Heimdall, "We were friends in undergraduate class. But instead of continuing his study to graduate program, he chose to work. But we're still good, still in contact, sometimes having coffee together until now."

Natasha was filmed. Another surprise came out.

* * *

It was already morning again. Scent of roasted something woke Natasha up, pulled her from her comfortable bed. She got up finding one of her newest law-subject books beside her pillow, which means she fell asleep when reading last night. She walked out the door to the kitchen, expecting Heimdall was roasting something for her and Loki's breakfast. But all that she found was only Loki's back. He was roasting some sausages while arranging breads on two plates.

"Where's Heimd…,"

"Holy shit, Corn Hair!" yelled Loki, shocked, "You shocked me!"

"Yeah, I can see it," she yawned, "Where's Heimdall?"

"He got a sudden job this morning, maybe Dad in Japan needs something," replied Loki. Natasha rubbed her eyes. She watched Loki taking care of their breakfast quite skillfully. Loki was already wearing his school uniform, only without the tie. His hair fell on his eyebrow, almost touching the upper part of his glasses frame.

"Are you watching me?" asked Loki suddenly, interrupting Natasha's activity (which is, of course, watching him) and made her heart suddenly beats fast.

"W-why would I?" she replied quickly, nervously, "Hurry put them on the table, I'm hungry!" she ordered. Loki winced.

"They're already there," he replied. Natasha looked to the table and found the breakfast there. She sat on her chair, wondering what made her lose concentration, before she chewed her first sausage piece.

"This is good," she said, "I never knew you can cook. I thought all that you can do is making noises with everyone."

"What does that mean?" replied Loki, "As if I'm a delinquent like that," he frowned.

"Oh, tell me that you're not," mocked Natasha. She grabbed more sausages and breads that turned more delicious than she thought.

"If it's not you, I won't make noises and play pranks," said Loki. Natasha quit munching. She blinked once. Twice. She tried to understand each Loki's words and all that she understood was that she is the only person Loki quarrels with.

Natasha put back her knife and fork. She tried to catch some breath within her heart that beat very quickly.

* * *

"What?" asked Maria, "Mr. Heimdall and Mr. Coulson?"

"Yeah," said Natasha while arranging her books inside her locker. She, and Maria, just finished another Math class with Mr. Coulson successfully without being scolded because she took a seat quite far from Loki's seat.

"Whoa," said Maria, leaned back on her locker, "This world is such a small place."

Natasha giggled, "Maybe you're right. And since I already spent my post-wedding days getting surprised by many things, I think I won't be wondering when Heimdall might say that he is your real father," she said. Maria laughed.

"What was that?" she giggled, "Anyway, this morning seems smooth, no?"

"What do you mean?" asked Natasha. She put on some books in her tote bag and closed the locker door. They left the lockers.

"I haven't heard your complain about Loki in the morning," replied Maria. Natasha gasped, suddenly Loki's words about her as the only quarreling partner came to her mind again.

"A-uh…yeah," she said, "Everything was fine this morning."

Maria winced. She looked at Natasha closely, but Natasha tried to cover her sight by fixing her red hair.

"What is going on?" asked Maria.

"Nothing," replied Natasha, still fixing her hair.

"It's not 'nothing', right?" insisted Maria, "Oh my God!"

"What?"

"Did you make out this morning?" asked Maria, fully excited. Natasha glared.

"OF COURSE NOT, YOU DUMBASS!"

* * *

After school, Natasha visited Barnes & Noble, her favorite bookstore in Times Square. Yesterday Heimdall recommended her some good books about human right subject, one of some undergraduate studies that she might be interested to take, so that she tried to get some. She took a book of human rights, taking looks of some pages, then put it back. She did the same things to some books afterwards until her eyes caught something surprising.

Loki was in mathematic section. But not alone, and not with Clint. He was with a beautiful brown-headed girl wearing different school uniform that Natasha recognized as uniform of an all-girls elite high school somewhere in Upper East Side.

"…many times…," she heard Loki speaks, "…here…,"

Natasha raised her eyebrow. She knew exactly Loki lies. Barnes & Noble has been her favorite bookstore since she entered high school and became a place that she frequently visit like nearly five times each week, either to buy books or just to check some new ones that she might pass, and she never ever find Loki there, not even once.

She was between angry and curious then.

Natasha grabbed two more human rights books then walked slowly to mathematic section. She walked behind a rack near Loki and that girl, covering her face with one of three books that she would purchase, pretending reading, so that Loki would not see her.

"So, you're going to Columbia too?" asked that girl with her soft and spoiled girly voice. Natasha had her heart skips a beat. Suddenly she realized she was nothing compared to that girl, not even in voice. That girl had a very girly and ladylike voice, unlike hers that sounds more boyish or fierce.

"It's just one of some choices," said Loki, "But it's good to know that you're going there to take Math as well, like of course, we have always been rivals all this time, right, Lorelei? Eheheh…,"

Natasha saw that girl nodded and laughed, as well as Loki. From their conversation, Natasha concluded that this Lorelei girl also masters Math like Loki and they might be rivals in some Math competitions between schools. More importantly, Loki and this Lorelei planned to go for Math study in Columbia undergraduate program, her dream college.

She pulled down the book from her face and left the rack, off to the cashier. A perfect picture of Loki and Lorelei suddenly ran around her mind.

* * *

Without changing her uniform, Natasha arrived at the apartment and right away moved to her desk in the bedroom, turning on her laptop and opened Google. She typed "Lorelei" and found a lot of random results. She typed again "Lorelei upper east side" and still found random results, so that she typed "Lorelei nyc math competition" and found some articles about math competition between high schools, so she clicked one.

_**NYC's New Math Masters**_

_Like it was never enough for these kids to always winning Math competitions, Lorelei Smith grabbed her first prize again in her senior year of high school. This genius won regionals that would bring her to the nationals. "I have been playing with numbers ever since I said my first word," said Lorelei cheerfully in an interview after the competition. And not only this girl, another champion who is now in runner-up, Loki Laufeyson, is still rising his star up in his senior year._

Natasha quit reading. She inhaled and exhaled slowly, realized that all this time she has been too busy quarreling with Loki and mocking him, that she never noticed any public news about that boy who has been her husband. Still curious, Natasha went back to Google and typed "Lorelei Smith" to find some more details, and gasped when she saw a Wikipedia page about Paul Smith, a genius researcher in Stark Industries, a so-called famous company in science development. She clicked on the link and found that Lorelei was Paul's only daughter.

"Whoa…," said Natasha before she leaned back on her chair. Another surprise again, Loki was being friends with a genetically genius girl who was also his rival and they planned to enter the same college. Natasha stood off her chair then walked to her bed. She sat there with an unconscious cold wind blew inside her heart.

* * *

The next morning, Natasha woke up earlier so that she can prepare the breakfast with her uniform on. She had a plan.

"Is this a new cereal?" asked Loki, munching his breakfast.

"Yeah, Maria recommended it," replied Natasha, "She said it's Mr. Hill's favorite."

"So you took this because an old man loves it? I wonder if you're really 17, Corn Hair," mocked Loki, giggled. Natasha took a dry cereal and threw it to Loki's face.

"Ouch, don't play with food!" complained Loki, "That's childish!"

"How inconsistent of you," mocked Natasha back, "Saying I'm not 17 then call me childish," she giggled. Loki frowned. They continued eating and then Natasha cleaned up everything. Loki put his tie on and took his backpack, ready to off for school. Natasha took off her apron quickly.

"Wait!" she said. Loki winced.

"What?" he asked. Natasha ran to her bedroom to put her tie on and grab her tote bag, then put her shoes on.

"Okay, let's go," she said. Loki raised his eyebrow.

"What's going on here?" he asked before he opened the apartment door and walked out with Natasha, "You want to walk with me to school?"

Natasha rolled her eyes, trying not to look to Loki's eyes, and nodded.

"How rare," commented Loki while he locked the door. Natasha did not respond until they walked out of the apartment building together.

Natasha and Loki walked on 90th street, heading to SHIELD. They have not talked since they left the apartment. Loki pulled out an earphone and plugged it to his phone, ready to listen to music. Seeing such moment, Natasha gasped and thought of an opening conversation.

"Uh…hey," she said. Loki quit plugging his earphone.

"What?" he asked.

"Uh…um, how's it going?" she asked back, confused Loki with such an obscure question, "I mean, your…study. Did you get everything from Heimdall?"

"Yeah, sort of," replied Loki, "I plan to enter the same undergraduate class with his, so everything is simpler with his favor."

Natasha nodded, "So you'll obviously take Math in Columbia?" she asked again.

"Pretty much, if I pass the test," answered Loki. He put back his earphone and phone in his pants pocket. Natasha exhaled.

"What makes you so unsure?" she tried to provoke, "Aren't you…like…NYC's Math champion?" she asked. Loki winced before he giggled.

"Eheheh…," he laughed, "Maybe I won some competitions, but maybe Columbia sets another standard in their entrance test. Heimdall kept telling me to study deeper, even more than in the competitions, just in case, yeah, the standard is raised."

Natasha nodded. Without she noticed, they arrived at SHIELD's gate. SHIELD was indeed very close to their apartment, which made them decide to just walk to school.

"Why, all of a sudden?" asked Loki, "It's rare that you suddenly walk with me to school and ask about my study plan."

"Nothing," said Natasha, tried not to look at Loki again. Loki shrugged.

"How about you?" he asked, "You're going to Columbia too, right?"

"Uh-huh," replied Natasha, "I'm currently learning about human rights material, just in case I will be interested to study Human Rights there."

"So, it's Human Rights, then?" asked Loki again, "A good start before you enter law school," he praised and smiled. Natasha smiled, she did not know why but a compliment from Loki made her more proud of her choice.

"Actually, Human Rights is not the only one," she said, "There are still Political Science and Gender Studies, sort of those, that Heimdall recommended me and I'm not less interested. I'll still read some books about them to know which one I'll take," she explained. Loki nodded.

"You're really a book person, huh?" he giggled. Natasha felt her heat skips a beat. Like never before, Loki looked a lot more stunning when he giggled like that.

"Yeah," replied Natasha nervously. Before she asked the next question, a boy stood before them with his DSLR camera on. That boy in black short curls, who also wore SHIELD summer uniform, captured them with two clicks on the camera shutter.

"Whoa, you two fit so perfectly in school uniforms, going to school together," he said after he pulled down his camera, "This is a rare moment!"

"That sounds dramatic, Bruce," replied Loki after he fixed his glasses. Natasha blinked twice. That boy was Bruce Banner, a science genius who was an active member in both science club and school newspaper. He was supposed to be Natasha's vice president of Student Council if Natasha won the past election, which she did not. They were used to be quite close until they took a lot of different subjects in senior class.

"Anyway, how about a lunch today? It's been so long since the last time I talked with you guys," said Bruce, "Busy preparing for college already?"

"Yeah, genius," replied Natasha, "Unlike you who already got Brown invitation for physics class," said her cynically to tease Bruce. Bruce laughed so hard, but on the other hand Natasha felt a little bad. The way she spoke to Bruce suddenly sound very mean to her own ears, compared to how ladylike Lorelei spoke to Loki back then.

Lorelei. Again. Natasha had no idea why suddenly that girl appeared like a shadow.

"HEEEYYY~!" two voices yelled together, "If it isn't young Mr and Mrs. Laufeyson!"

Natasha, Loki, and Bruce turned their heads to the sounds and found Clint and Maria walking together towards them all. Loki looked away.

"Can anybody quit being drama queens today?" he frowned. Maria and Clint giggled.

"How come, when we found this unusual thing?" replied Clint, "You walk your own wife to school, how sweet is that!" he laughed, and so did Bruce and Maria. Loki looked away but then walked to the lockers together with Clint and Bruce. Maria stayed with Natasha.

"What's up, now?" she asked, "Back then I didn't hear your morning complain, and now you go to school together? I bet you owe me a story," she said. Natasha shrugged, rolled her eyes, thinking of interesting things that she can tell Maria about. Things not related with what happened since she saw Loki in her favorite bookstore.

"Um, Loki said that I'm like an old lady for picking the cereal that your Dad likes," said Natasha, "Typical Loki."

"Yeah, typical him," Maria giggled, "But he ate everything off after all, right?" she asked. They burst to laughter, realized that they found no other answers.


End file.
